Air Force Drops Home Opener against No. 13 Jacksonville, 15-9
USAF ACADEMY – Air Force fell to the 13th-ranked Jacksonville Dolphins, 15-9, in the Falcon Stadium opener, Saturday Afternoon. JU, who knocked off No. 2 Duke earlier this season, improved to 5-1. The Falcons have yet to win (0-4).
Air Force got off to a strong start, finishing the first quarter with a 4-3 lead behind Brandon Dodd’s hat trick in the first 10 minutes. Dodd finished with four goals on the game, he has nine goals this season. Air Force scoring leader Brenden Crouse also put up his first goal of the game in the first quarter, helping the Falcons to a lead and the end of the opening 15 minutes. Crouse finished a pair of goals on the day, tallying his 14th and 15th strikes of the season.
After a fast start behind Dodd’s fourth goal in the second quarter (14:38), the Falcons hit a brick wall, going scoreless for the remaining14:22, putting up just one goal to JU’s seven. Air Force hit the halftime locker room trailing 10-5.
JU continued the roll into the third quarter, adding three more goals before the AF scoring drought was ended by Crouse’s second goal of the day. Falcon junior Gavin Peene followed up with his first goal of the season 48 seconds later, closing the third quarter trailing by six goals, 13-7.
The Dolphins were the first to strike in the fourth quarter, plugging in a pair of goals just prior to cycling in the reserve players with six minutes remaining.
Air Force’s Alexander Stepney and Teddy Accardi rounded out the scoring for Air Force via feeds from Cole Grindberg and Dodd, respectively. The Falcons were unable to chase the Dolphins down before the expiration of time.
At the final horn, AF put up 41 shots to JU’s 34. Dodd was credited with a season-best 12 shots while Crouse fired off eight.
The Falcons had their best day at the center dot this season, going .500 in 26 face offs. Brian Michal won 6-of-14, and teammate Jake Knapp won a career-high 7-of-12.
Senior defender Quentin Carlile led the defense after a two-game hiatus, causing a game-high four turnovers. Junior teammate Jason Rose made nine saves in cage in his fourth loss. Quinn Richards popped in goal in the final six minutes, holding JU scoreless with a save to his credit.
Next up, Air Force closes out a three-game home stint against Marist on Saturday, March 5. Action is slated for high noon at Falcon Stadium. The last time the teams met was in 2019 at USAFA where the Falcons doubled-up the Red Foxes, 12-6.
